About the VCH
Victoria County History - The Greatest Publishing Project in English Local History
Founded in 1899 and originally dedicated to Queen Victoria, the VCH is an encyclopaedic record of England's places and people from earliest times to the present day.
It is without doubt the greatest publishing project in English local history, having built an international reputation for scholarly standards.
Based at the Institute of Historical Research in the University of London since 1933, the VCH is written by historians working in counties across England.
The 'big red books'
The famous VCH big red books, which cover all historical periods, are written county by county from original documents and fieldwork.
Introductory chapters include subjects ranging from archaeology to social and economic history, while topographical sections give a comprehensive account of each city, town and village.
With 14 county sets completed, most counties have at least one volume. More than 240 volumes have been published in total, providing an invaluable resource for everyone interested in local history.
